Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology

Pioneering Korea's ARPA-H Project: Focused on mRNA Vaccine Room-Temperature Storage and Extra-Long-Term Preservation Creating a Platform for Prolonged Room-Temperature Storage and Efficient Distribution of mRNA Vaccines SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 30, a Korean Biotech company, DX&VX(; KOSDAQ 180400, Majority shareholder Lim Chong-yoon) announced its selection as a co-research institution for Korea's first ARPA-H project, titled "STOREx: Stockpile Technology to Omit Repeated Entity for Vx." This groundbreaking initiative aims to establish materials and production processes to enable room-temperature, ultra-long-term storage of mRNA vaccines. DX&VX will lead the verification of genomic integrity of the mRNA vaccine technology, a crucial step toward commercialization. Modeled after the U.S. ARPA-H initiative, the Korean ARPA-H project is managed by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) and seeks to resolve major healthcare challenges through innovation. This specific project centers on advancing technology for the extra-long-term, room-temperature preservation of mRNA vaccines, thereby enhancing national health security and bolstering rapid pandemic response capabilities. Led by Professor Seung-Soo Oh from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), the project includes a consortium of institutions: DX&VX, Korea University, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Ewha Womans University, and Seoul Asan Medical Center. DX&VX will play a pivotal role in both technology validation and subsequent commercialization of this critical vaccine storage solution. This project has secured a significant research fund of 8.5 billion KRW over five years, with an allocation breakdown of 1.5 billion KRW for the initial phase, 5 billion KRW for the second phase, and 2 billion KRW for the final phase. Having previously collaborated with POSTECH on mRNA vaccine advancements, including lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology, DX&VX will now concentrate on enabling room-temperature storage and extra-long-term preservation for mRNA vaccines. Given that current mRNA vaccines require ultra-cold storage and have limited shelf lives, these advancements are expected to ease distribution challenges, reduce costs, and foster a self-reliant national healthcare system, thus ensuring vaccine sovereignty in the face of future health crises. "We will play a pivotal role in this project based on our expertise accumulated in the field of precision medicine, such as genomic integrity analysis technology", said Kevin Kwon, CEO of DX&VX. "The development of mRNA vaccine's room temperature extra-long-term preservation technology and mass production process technology is the best innovative technology that can change the game itself in the existing mRNA vaccine market. We will actively commercialize this technology to lead the development of domestic vaccines and grow it into a standard for the global mRNA vaccine platform." SOURCE Dx&Vx WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Introducing SPINDLE, a pioneering robotic rehabilitation system to enhance daily living activities for individuals with tremor. GWANGJU, South Korea, June 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tremors, or involuntary rhythmic movements, severely impair an individual's ability to perform everyday tasks, reducing their quality of life and independence. In neurological rehabilitation, finding effective treatments is a key goal, and tremor rehabilitation is particularly complex. Continue Reading SPINDLE (Spherical Parallel INstrument for Daily Living Emulation) aims to help individuals with neurological disorders improve their upper limb strength, dexterity, and motor coordination by facilitating ADL training by mimicking natural movements and offering adjustable resistance levels. Addressing this challenge, a team of researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in Korea, led by professor Jiyeon Kang, developed an innovative robotic rehabilitation system to enhance the strength and dexterity of individuals with tremors. Their research, published on 23 April, 2024, in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, introduces the Spherical Parallel INstrument for Daily Living Emulation (SPINDLE). SPINDLE integrates robotics and virtual reality to enhance the strength and dexterity of individuals with tremors, enabling them to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) more efficiently. Unlike traditional methods, SPINDLE simulates ADLs in a realistic and adaptable environment, bridging the gap in replicating real-world tasks' complexity. This innovative system promises to transform rehabilitation for tremor patients, offering a new level of support and effectiveness. In this study, nine healthy participants were trained to use SPINDLE with the aid of VR technology. Following this training phase, the participants were subjected to simulated tremors and asked to perform various ADL tasks, both with the SPINDLE system and with natural objects. The team meticulously compared the performance results from these tasks to evaluate the effectiveness of the SPINDLE system. The study revealed several significant benefits of using SPINDLE for tremor rehabilitation. SPINDLE demonstrated joint mobility equivalent to natural ADLs, ensuring practical applicability in real-life scenarios. Participants experienced reduced muscle effort and effective tremor suppression, which contributed to smoother and more controlled movements. The system provides customizable optimal damping, allowing for individualized resistance-based training tailored to each participant's needs. The use of SPINDLE resulted in improved motor control, coordination, and neuroplasticity, key factors in effective neurological rehabilitation. Participants showed notable improvements in upper limb strength and dexterity, critical for performing daily activities. "A standout feature of the SPINDLE system is its game-based training paradigm, which allows for varying levels of resistance as needed. This approach not only makes the therapy sessions engaging and enjoyable but also significantly aids in improving the strength and dexterity of individuals with tremors," explains Prof. Kang. By integrating real-time visual feedback and interactive VR elements, SPINDLE ensures sustained user motivation and more effective training outcomes. "SPINDLE has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for patients with neurological disorders by focusing on complex ADLs that are difficult for other rehabilitation robots. Its compact design allows for easy integration with TV or VR systems, providing an engaging environment to encourage adherence to rehabilitation programs," adds Prof. Kang. The promising results from this study indicate that SPINDLE has the potential to become a standard tool in tremor rehabilitation programs. Beyond its immediate applications, the principles and technologies developed through SPINDLE could extend to other areas, such as sports training and injury prevention. Additionally, the data collected from SPINDLE training sessions can provide valuable insights into neuroplasticity and motor learning, paving the way for more effective treatments for a wide range of neurological disorders. Reference Title of original paper: Resist-as-Needed ADL Training With SPINDLE for Patients With Tremor Journal: IEEE Transactions On Neural Systems And Rehabilitation Engineering DOI: About the institute Media Contact: Chang-Sung Kang 82 62 715 6253 [email protected] SOURCE Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)

The MultiSenseBadminton dataset can be used to build AI-based coaching assistants for badminton players GWANGJU, South Korea, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In sports training, practice is the key, but being able to emulate the techniques of professional athletes can take a player's performance to the next level. AI-based personalized sports coaching assistants can make this a reality by utilizing published datasets. With cameras and sensors strategically placed on the athlete's body, these systems can track everything, including joint movement patterns, muscle activation levels, and gaze movements. Continue Reading GIST Researchers Capture Biomechanics of Badminton Players with Sensors and Cameras Using this data, personalized feedback is provided on player technique, along with improvement recommendations. Athletes can access this feedback anytime, and anywhere, making these systems versatile for athletes at all levels. Now, in a study published in the journal Scientific Data on April 5, 2024, researchers led by Associate Professor SeungJun Kim from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea, in collaboration with researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CSAIL, USA, have developed a MultiSenseBadminton dataset for AI-driven badminton training. "Badminton could benefit from these various sensors, but there is a scarcity of comprehensive badminton action datasets for analysis and training feedback," says Ph.D. candidate Minwoo Seong, the first author of the study. Supported by the 2024 GIST-MIT project, this study took inspiration from MIT's ActionSense project, which used wearable sensors to track everyday kitchen tasks such as peeling, slicing vegetables, and opening jars. Seong collaborated with MIT's team, including MIT CSAIL postdoc researcher Joseph DelPreto and MIT CSAIL Director and MIT EECS Professor Daniela Rus and Wojciech Matusik. Together, they developed the MultiSenseBadminton dataset, capturing movements and physiological responses of badminton players. This dataset, shaped with insights from professional badminton coaches, aims to enhance the quality of forehand clear and backhand drive strokes. For this, the researchers collected 23 hours of swing motion data from 25 players with varying levels of training experience. During the study, players were tasked with repeatedly executing forehand clear and backhand drive shots while sensors recorded their movements and responses. These included inertial measurement units (IMU) sensors to track joint movements, electromyography (EMG) sensors to monitor muscle signals, insole sensors for foot pressure, and a camera to record both body movements and shuttlecock positions. With a total of 7,763 data points collected, each swing was meticulously labeled based on stroke type, player's skill level, shuttlecock landing position, impact location relative to the player, and sound upon impact. The dataset was then validated using a machine learning model, ensuring its suitability for training AI models to evaluate stroke quality and offer feedback. "The MultiSenseBadminton dataset can be used to build AI-based education and training systems for racket sports players. By analyzing the disparities in motion and sensor data among different levels of players and creating AI-generated action trajectories, the dataset can be applied to personalized motion guides for each level of players," says Seong. The gathered data can enhance training through haptic vibration or electrical muscle stimulation, promoting better motion and refining swing techniques. Additionally, player tracking data, like that in the MultiSenseBadminton dataset, could fuel virtual reality games or training simulations, making sports training more accessible and affordable, potentially transforming how people exercise. In the long run, the researchers speculate that this dataset could make sports training more accessible and affordable for a broader audience, promote overall well-being, and foster a healthier population. Reference About Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) . Contact: Chang-Sung Kang 82 62 715 6253 [email protected] SOURCE Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)